One of our two main event matches of the night, and one of two title matches will see Jay White finally defend his NEVER Openweight Championship. His opponent is someone he knows very well, that being David Finlay. They trained together as Young Lions, and have since become bitter rivals. Their last encounter saw Finlay come out on top during the New Japan Cup, but will be able to claim his first singles championship in NJPW tonight?
David Finlay Looks To Prove This Is His Ring
With a sixty minute time limit, there was no rush to get this match started. White would be shoved into the ropes by Finlay, who was forced to break the action up. Finlay would nail a takedown in the middle of the ring, but White again went to the ropes. A double leg takedown brought White down for some strikes, before they’d trade heavy chops in the corner.
Finlay was looking strong, and would keep the pressure on White, until he was shoved off the top rope and crashed down onto his neck. White would hit a front drop suplex onto the apron, and back in the ring nailed a snug backbreaker for a two count. He’s at his best when he is in complete control of a match, and without Gedo to call the shots at ringside, he had to be on top focus.
Finlay would be dumped to the outside, with White claiming that he doesn’t belong in his ring. However, White would be pulled to the outside and Finlay brawled into control, and maintained it in the ring with a running uppercut. A flying uppercut got a near fall, before White snatched his head for a snap DDT. White followed up with a front suplex over the top rope Bladebuster, getting a near fall.
A Bitter Back And Forth Brawl
Not one to give up, Finlay would battle back to his feet and hit some heavy strikes in the corner. White has been outwrestling him, but Finlays love to fight. He’d get pulled away from White after stomping him out. White used this chance to hit a flapjack onto the ropes for a two count. On the apron, he’d look to hit a Saito Suplex to the floor, with Finlay holding on for his life.
Finlay was able to save himself, and hit a suplex right onto the apron. Back in the ring, White got quick revenge with a suplex over the top rope. A massive uranage would follow as Finlay crawled back into the ring, and he would be taken up top for a super Saito suplex. Realizing his career was at risk, Finlay fought like hell and battered White off and to the apron.
White was pulled up, and Finlay hit a big superplex. Against all odds, White was the favorite of this US crowd, despite playing the heel role. They’d trade blows in the middle of the ring, with Finlay sending White to the outside with a big forearm, but he came back in with one twice as hard.
A short range lariat from White dropped Finlay, before he came back with one of his own. Finlay would be caught by the speed of White, who hit the Flatliner into German Suplex, before countering the Blade Runner and nailing a huge Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. STF would be applied, before moving into a crossface and then an omoplata. White was in big trouble, but got his foot on the bottom rope.
Breathe With The Switchblade, As Jay White Comes Out On Top
Finlay looked for Trash Panda, before being shoved into the referee and hit with a sly low blow. White was instantly back in control, and pulled Finlay up, but the referee caught Finlay selling and questioned White. When shoved away, White got a low blow right back, before taking Trash Panda for a two count.
Finlay set up the Stunner, but White had other plans as he countered into the sleeper suplex. A Blade Runner attempt was countered into a stunner, before Finlay looked for the Acid Drop. White fought free and looked for Blade Runner again, before taking two half and half suplexes. Finlay looked for Acid Drop again, but was countered into Blade Runner for the win.
Jay White & David Finlay are good rivals, but far from great. They don’t have bad matches, but this was an underwhelming one. It was functionally fine, and had the crowd invested and some good spots, but failed to meet their co-main event hype. Match Rating: 3.75/5 (*** 3/4)
Who will challenge Jay White next? Tomohiro Ishii stomped to the ring, and seemingly was ready for the next shot after crushing Moose earlier tonight. Can Ishii get his title shot? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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